Drive for detaching rollers of a combing machine



Feb. 1, 1966 YOSHlKAZU KAWAMURA ETAL 3,232,132

DRIVE FOR DETACHING ROLLERS OF A COMBING MACHINE Filed July 15, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 (2'4. MI I Feb. 1, 1966 YOSHIKAZU KAWAMURA ETAL 3,232,132

DRIVE FOR DETACHING ROLLERS OF A COMBING MACHINE Fued July 15, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,232,132 DRWE F GE DETACHING ROLLERS OF A (IOMBING MACHINE Yoshikazu Kawamura, Higashi-ku, and Takeshi Suzuki, Mizuiro-lru, Nagoya, Japan, assignors to Shin-Mitsubishi Juniogyo Kahushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, Japan Filed July 15, 1963, Ser. No. 294,918 3 Claims. (Cl. 74-694) The present invention relates to a drive for the detaching rollers of a combing machine.

The detaching rollers of a combing machine comprise, as shown in FIGURE 1, a bottom detaching roller B and a top detaching roller C, to be synchronously rotated, with an apron A interposed between them; the bottom detaching roller B is first rotated forward (counterclockwise) to draw out, through the nip defined between the detaching rollers B and C, the combed fiber D carried on the apron A, and then is rotated backward (clockwise) to feed back the detached fiber by such an extent that the rear end of the previously detached fiber is disposed in an overlapping relation with the first end of a new fiber to be combed.

In order to accomplish such clockwise and counteriockwise rotation of the detaching rollers, various kinds of devices have been contemplated. However, in any of the known devices, such as a device comprising a planetary gear and other complicated mechanisms where the ratio between forward motion (counterclockwise rotation) of the detaching roller related to the detached amount of the fibers and backward motion (clockwise rotation) thereof related to the overlapping amount of the fibers is fixed in a mechanically predetermined relation, it has neither been feasible nor his it been contemplated to change the overlapping amount of fibers durmg operation of the machine. Accordingly, when such regulative variation of the overlapping amount of the fibers is required, it has been necessary to temporarily suspend the operation of the machine in order to adjust the machine for such a change in the overlapping amount. This results in considerable down time of the machine, and a loss both in production and efliciency.

Therefore, an important object of the present invention is to provide an improved drive for detaching rollers by which the overlapping amount of fibers can be adjusted freely and easily to any desired degree during operation of the combing machine. Therefore, there is no need to suspend operation during changeover.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a drive for detaching rollers in which a worm, a worm wheel and an infinitely variable speed gear means are connected to a planetary type differential gear included in a gear train for driving detaching rollers, to regulate the rotation of the controlling gear elements constituting the differential gear so that the amount of forward motion and backward motion of the detaching rollers is variably adjusted without suspending operation of the combing machine.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a drive for detaching rollers, in which a planetary type differential gear, a rocking device to operate said gear and a variable speed gear are provided in a driving systom for detaching rollers so that high speed running of the combing machine as Well as satisfactory forward or backward motion of the detaching rollers is obtained.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a drive for detaching rollers in which an intermediate gear which engages with an output shaft gear of the planetary type differential gear and which transmits power to a detaching roller pinion is mounted rockingly around the output shaft gear, so that good engaging relation between the gears in such a driving gear train is obtained.

are insured.

A feature of the present invention concerns a drive for detaching rollers which comprises in its gearing system a planetary type differential gear, wherein controlling gear elements are connected with a variable speed gear means so as to freely change rotation speed of the gear elements through the variable speed gear means, so that a desired motion in each of forward and backward motions of the detaching rollers is afforded.

Another feature of the present invention is in that with the controlling gear element, driving gear elements constituting a plurality of planetary gears are engaged, and by rocking the rotation of the supporting member of the drive gear elements correlative to the controlling gear element by means of a rocking device, the motion defined by one directional rotation of the controlling gear elements rotating in one direction and the reciprocating rotation of the drive gear elements is transmitted to a driven gear element, affording a desired forward motion and a backward motion of the detaching rollers connected with the driven gear elements.

A further feature of the present invention is in that, even during operation of the combing machine, by varying the rotation speed of the controlling gear elements of the planetary gear device by means of the variable speed gear means, the overlapping amount of the fibers may be freely adjusted, and accordingly, when a certain overlapping amount is desired, the working ratio of the combing machine can be raised accordingly, as regulation of the forward motion and the backward motion of the detaching rollers may be conducted easily and quickly without suspending the machine operation.

A further feature of the present invention is in that, as the forward motion and backward motion of the detaching rollers may satisfactorily be obtained, the drive for the detaching rollers may also be adopted as that for long fibers with satisfactory performance.

A further feature of the present invention is in that, as control of the drive for detaching rollers is conducted by an assembly of a planetary type differential gear, a rocking device to rock in forward and backward rotating directions a rocking arm carrying a plurality of planetary gears which are driving gear elements of said planetary gear type differential gear and a variable speed gear, smooth rotation and high speed operation of the drive become feasible, and at the same time any desired extent of overlapping of the fibers can be obtained, by operation of the variable speed gear, changing rotation speed of the ring gear which is controlling the gear elements, even din-ing the operation of the combing machine.

An advantage of the present invention is in that, as the mechanism operating planetary gears is constituted with a rocking arm to support the gear and rocking device therefor, it is very simple in construction, compared with a mechanism in which a planetary gear is driven by such members as an eccentric mechanism, a complicated link connected thereto, an articulated lever operating said rocking mechanism connected to the link and carrying planetary gears, thereby smooth drive of the planetary gear and much reduction of expenditure of power can be obtained.

A still further feature of the present invention is in that the present drive comprises a gauge regulating device (means for adjusting the gauge between the detaching top roller and a nipper plate), so as to eliminate the interference caused by the engagement of the gears when changing the gauge (a space between the detaching top roller and the nipper plate) according to the quality of the fibers or when necessary for moving the detaching roller up or down correlative to the nipper plate even in the same gauge, so that smooth driving of detaching rollers Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and claims when read with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the general arrangement of detaching rollers of a combing machine;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of a drive for detaching rollers according to the present invention; and

FIGURE 3 is a side View showing an outline of driving system for the detaching rollers.

The drawings illustrate a preferable embodiment of the present invention, in which the planetary type differential gear is included in the driving gear system of detaching v rollers whose shaft 41 is shown in FIG. 2. The ditferential ear preferably comprise a central sun gear 21, a plurality of planetary gears 22 arranged around the sun gear 21 and engaged therewith and ring gear 23 arranged about the planetary gears 22 in engaging relation therewith. In this case, the planetary gears 22 constitute driving gear elements, the sun gear 21 constitutes a driven gear element, and the ring ear 23 constitutes a controlling gear element.

A shaft 27 of each of the planetary gears 22 is carried on a common rocker arm 28 by a retaining pin. A cylindrical extension 23a of the rocker arm 28 is rotatably inserted about shaft 21a of the sun gear 21, on one end of which there is secured a rocker lever 29 connected by means of a connecting rod 33 to the crank 32 of FIG. 3, which is rotatable in a definite direction. Therefore, if the crank 32 rotates, the rocker lever 29 rocks, as shown in FIG. 3, to effect forward and backward rotations, and with such rocking motion, the rocker arm.- 28 is swung so that the planetary gears may revolve around the sun gear 21.

One end of a shaft 21a of the sun gear 21 is carried by a bearing 30 of a gear box 34 and the other end is carried by bearing 31 of the gear box 34 through the cylindrical extension 28a of rocker arm 28. On one edge of the shaft 21a, an output shaft gear 26 is keyed. As the output shaft gear 26 is engaged with an intermediate gear 35 carried by a shatft 36 connected to an intermediate gear lever 38. Gear lever 3 is guided by an arcuate slot (FIG. 3) in intermediate bracket 37 fixed on the gear box 34 to rock about an axis colinear with shaft 21a. The intermediate gear 35 engages with a detaching roller pinion keyed to the shaft 41 of a bottom detaching roller, the detaching roller connected to shaft 41 may be rotated forward and backward by reciprocating rotations of the strait 21a.

The hub portion 23a of the ring gear 23, as a controlling gear engaging with the planetary gears 22, is rotatably inserted on the sun gear shaft 21a, on which there is secured a worm wheel 24 and a worm 25 is engaging with the worm wheel 24. The worm 25 is given rotation in one direction only, which rotation is adjustable as described hCI'ClIlalftBI', so as to enable the change of the rotation of the controlling gear (ring gear 23).

When the rocker lever 29 makes rocking motion, by rotation of the crank 32, through the connecting rod 33, the planetary gear shafts 27 on the rocker arm 28 makes rocking displacement centering around the shaft 21a of the sun gear 21. Then the planetary gears 22 make the same amount of rotating motion, either in a forward or a b ackward direction, but, the rotation only in one direction is transmitted by the worm 25 to the planetary gears 22 through the worm wheel 24 and the ring gear 23, the planetary gears 22 will make composite movement of the sum of the rocking motion and the one directional rotation, causing a difference between the forward motion and the backward motion. That is, if the rotation of the planetary gears 22 and the one directional rotation of the ring gear 23 transmitted by the worm wheel 24 are in the same direction, the planetary gears 22 drive the sun gear 21 with the composite rotation speed of the sum of two, giving forward rotation to the bottom detaching roller through the gear train 26, 35, 40 and shaft 41 thereof to draw out the fibers.

If the rocker arm 28 is rotated backward, the planetary gears 22 will rotate reversely, land in this case, as its rotating direction differs from that of the ring gear 23, the planetary gears 22 drive the sun gear 21 with the composite rotation speed of the difference of two, reversely rotating the bottom detaching roller by the amount of the fibers being overlapped.

As above mentioned, in the utilization of a planetary gear, by making the rotating amounts of the planetary gears 22 different for forward rotation and backward rotation correlative to the internal or controlling gear 23 rorated in one direction by the worm 25, a required amount of forward motion and backward motion of the detaching roller may be obtained through the sun gear 21. Moreover, in the apparatus, of the present invention, by making rotation of the worm 25 variable by driving it with a variable speed drive means, the rate of forward motion versus backward motion may be \freely varied.

The variable speed means may be a continuously vari able speed drive mechanism 42, as shown in FIG. 3. As the variable speed drive mechanism per se may be of the known type, it is merely shown diagrammatically in the drawing. The output shaft 45 of the variable speed mechanism 42 is connected to the worm 25 through a power transmission, such as a belt 46, and the input shaft 44 may be driven by a suitable rotating member (not shown) of the combining machine, or by a motor (not shown) separately positioned from the driving motor of the combing machine. The variable speed ratio of this device may be varied by moving the variable speed lever 43.

When the rotation speed of the worm 25 is varied by means of such a variable speed means, the amount of one directional rotation of the worm wheel 24 and in turn that of the ring gear 23 change, thereby the forward motion and the backward motion of the planetary gears 22 are varied. It should be carefully noted this permits the easy changing of the optional overlapping amount of the detaching fibers by merely moving the variable speed lever 43, even during operation of the combing machine.

The planetary gears 22 are engaged with the sun gear 2-1, and afford a desired forward motion and a desired backward motion to the sun gear 21 to drive the output gear 26 on the common shaft of the gear 21. The rotation of the gear 26 is further transmitted through a gauge regulating means which includes the intermediate gear 35 to the detaching roller pinion 40 secured via the shaft 41 to the bottom detaching roller, affording on the detaching roller such movement as described with respect to FIG. 1. At that time, the intermediate gear 35 is fixed with an intermediate lever 38 and an intermediate bracket 37, so as to be properly engaged therewith by handle 39 at the pitch point, in order to eliminate engaging interference caused by the engagement of the gears when changing the gauge according to the quality of the fibers or when necessary for moving the detaching roller up or down, correlative to the nipper plate even in the same gauge.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the specific construction disclosed herein, but covers all modifications and variations within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a combing maching, the combination comprising a driving gear train including a planetary type dif ferential gear including driving gear elements, controlling gear elements and driven gear elements, means for carrying said driving gear elements, a rocker device for rocking said means for carrying said driving gear elements of said planetary type differential gear correlative to said controlling gear elements, a variable speed drive means connected to said controlling gear elements of said planetary type differential gear, means for connecting said detaching rollers with said driven gear elements of said planetary type differential gear, a bracket having an arcuate slot centered around the axis of rotation of said driven gear elements, an intermediate gear lever rockable along said arcuate slot, an intermediate gear carried on said intermediate gear lever and a detaching roller pinion connected to said detaching roller and engageable by said intermediate gear.

2. In a fibre combing machine, the combination comprising a pair of spaced detaching rollers for drawing combed fibers passing through the space between said rollers, a planetary type differential gear including a sun gear having a shaft, a plurality of planetary gears engagingly disposed about said sun gear, each of said planetary gears having a shaft, a ring gear engagingly disposed about said planetary gears, said ring gear having a cylindrical shaft portion encompassing a portion of a first end of the shaft of said sun gear, a support means for carrying the shafts of said planetary gears, said support means having a cylindrical extension encompassing the other end of the shaft of said sun gear, a rocker lever fixed to the cylindrical extension of said support means, means for reciprocatingly driving said rocker lever, a worm disposed on the outer surface of the cylindrical shaft portion of said ring gear, a worm drive engaging said worm for rotating said ring gear whereby said planetary gears drive said sun gear, and gear means for drivingly connecting the shaft of said sun gear to one of said detaching rollers, said gear means including a first mediate gear, a shaft for said intermediate gear, an intermediate gear for engaging said first gear, a pinion connected to said detaching roller for engaging said intermediate gear, a shaft for said intermediate gear, an intermediate gear support for the shaft of said intermediate gear, said intermediate gear support being pivotably mounted about the shaft of said sun gear whereby said intermediate gear can move in an accurate path to controllably engage said first gear and said pinion.

3. In a fibre combing machine, the combination comprising a pair of spaced detaching rollers for drawing combed fibers passing through the space between said rollers, a planetary type differential gear including a sun gear having a shaft, a plurality of planetary gears engagingly disposed about said sun gear, each of said planetary gears having a shaft, a ring gear engagingly disposed about said planetary gears, said ring gear having a cylindrical shaft portion encompassing a portion of a first end of the shaft of said sun gear, a support means for carrying the shafts of said planetary gears, said support means having a cylindrical extension encompassing the other end of the shaft of said sun gear, a rocker lever fixed to the cylindrical extension of said support means, means for reciprocatingly driving said rocker lever, a worm disposed on the outer surface of the cylindrical shaft portion of said ring gear, a worm drive engaging said worm for rotating said ring gear whereby said planetary gears drive said sun gear, and gear means for drivingly connecting the shaft of said sun gear to one of said detaching rollers, said gear means including a first gear connected to the shaft of said sun gear, an intermediate gear for engaging said sun gear, a pinion connected to said detaching roller for engaging said intermediate gear, and means for rockingly supporting said intermediate gear to revolve about the axis of rotation of said sun gear.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,190,407 7/1916 Helmbold et al. 74394 2,392,349 1/1946 Webb 74394 2,940,337 6/ 1960 Kalb 74-675 3,118,318 1/1964 Rauhut 74-394 FOREIGN PATENTS 459,616 6/1913 France.

2,0l9 1913 Great Britain.

DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

DONALD W. PARKER, DON A. WAITE, Examiners.

D. NEWTON, M. H. FREEMAN, Assistant Examiners. 

1. IN A COMBING MACHINE, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING A DRIVING GEAR TRAIN INCLUDING A PLANETARY TYPE DIFFERENTIAL GEAR INCLUDING DRIVING GEAR ELEMENTS, CONTROLLING GEAR ELEMENTS AND DRIVEN GEAR ELEMENTS, MEANS FOR CARRYING SAID DRIVING GEAR ELEMENTS, A ROCKER DEVICE FOR ROCKING SAID MEANS FOR CARRYING SAID DRIVING GEAR ELEMENTS OF SAID PLANETARY TYPE DIFFERENTIAL GEAR CORRELATIVE TO SAID CONTROLLING GEAR ELEMENTS, A VARIABLE SPEED DRIVE MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID CONTROLLING GEAR ELEMENTS OF SAID PLANETARY TYPE DIFFERENTIAL GEAR, MEANS FOR CONNECTING SID DETACHING ROLLERS WITH SAID DRIVEN GEAR ELEMENTS OF SAID PLANETARY TYPE DIFFERENTIAL GEAR, A BRACKET HAVING AN ARCUATE SLOT CENTERED AROUND THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF SAID DRIVEN GEAR ELEMENTS, AN INTERMEDIATE GEAR LEVER ROCKABLE ALONG SAID ARCUATE SLOT, AN INTERMEDIATE GEAR CARRIED ON SAID INTERMEDIATE GEAR LEVEL AND A DETACHING ROLLER PINION CONNECTED TO SAID DETACHING ROLLER AND ENGAGEABLE BY SAID INTERMEDIATE GEAR. 